Mon, 12th May 2008

Labor playing politics with our economy

Yesterday, Kevin Rudd launched an opportunistic attack on the record of the Howard Government.

It was a poor attempt to create a distraction in Budget week, and it ignores the facts.

As Brendan Nelson said last week:

“This country is a different country today. A more prosperous country. One that is more confident in itself and its place in the world because of what John Howard did as Prime Minister of Australia over almost 12 years.

“Australia was quite a different place in 1996. It was a country that had emerged from long term unemployment, of oppressively high interest rates, of the collapse of small and larger businesses.”

The Liberal Party has a proud record of achievement for Australia. John Howard and Peter Costello left a strong economy, with Australians more prosperous and secure than at any time in our history.

Mr Rudd may seek to launch cheap political shots. But the test for him and his government is whether the Budget sets out a clear plan to build on the prosperity handed over by John Howard and Peter Costello, and whether it will keep inflation low, jobs secure and petrol and grocery prices from rising.

Mr Rudd and Labor have a political strategy. It is far from clear that they have an economic strategy.

Coalition / Labor Comparison